Joplin vs Trilium Notes: which one to choose in 2026?
Both are open source alternatives to Evernote, OneNote. We compare license, tech stack and features to help you decide which fits your team best.
| Joplin | Trilium Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Productivity | Productivity |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| GitHub stars | ~46k | ~28k |
| Tech stack | Node.js, PostgreSQL, React Native | Node.js, SQLite |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | Evernote, OneNote |
Joplin has more GitHub stars, which usually indicates a larger community (not necessarily that it's the best option for your use case).
Joplin
Cross-platform encrypted notes, a free alternative to Evernote.
Pros
- Real end-to-end encryption, not just in transit
- Mature native apps on all 3 major platforms
Things to consider
- Running your own sync server (Joplin Server) is an extra step compared to the paid cloud
- Interface is more functional than visually polished
Trilium Notes
Hierarchical, encrypted notes, an alternative to Evernote/OneNote.
Pros
- Excellent for huge personal knowledge bases
Things to consider
- Less friendly interface for non-technical teams
Key features
Joplin
- Markdown notes with optional end-to-end encryption
- Native desktop, mobile and web apps, all synced
- Community plugins and themes
Trilium Notes
- Unlimited hierarchical notes
- Encryption for sensitive notes
- Own scripting and automations
Already know which one you prefer?
Add it to your Stack Builder and generate a ready-to-deploy docker-compose.yml alongside the rest of your stack.
Go to Stack Builder